Survey of Mature Students in Higher Education

We would like to know about your experience in accessing Higher Education as a Mature Student. This may have been a course you completed, one that you are currently doing, or one that you would like to do. The survey is aimed at finding ways to improve access to Higher Education for Mature Students. Your response will be treated as strictly confidential and will only be used in anonymous form along with other responses, and will not be used for any other purpose. Completion of this survey is entirely voluntary. Thank you for taking part in this survey.

Current Status

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* 1. Have you participated in Higher Education as a mature student?

I am currently a mature student in Higher Education for the first time

I was previously a mature student in Higher Education

I have never attended Higher Education, but have considered it as an option

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* 2. If you have in the past been, or are currently, a Mature Student in Higher Education, is/was this:

Full-time

Part-time

N/A

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* 3. If you have in the past been, or are currently, a Mature Student in Higher Education, is/was this mainly:

On campus

Distance or online learning

N/A

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* 4. Are you the first person in your immediate family who has attended Higher Education?

Yes

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* 5. Are you, or have you ever been, in receipt of:

	Yes	No
Back to Education Allowance (BTEA):	Back to Education Allowance (BTEA): Yes	Back to Education Allowance (BTEA): No
SUSI Grant:	SUSI Grant: Yes	SUSI Grant: No

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* 6. What are/were the main issues, barriers and challenges to participating in Higher Education?

	1 - Not a barrier	2	3	4	5 - Major barrier
Family responsibilities and commitments	Family responsibilities and commitments 1 - Not a barrier	Family responsibilities and commitments 2	Family responsibilities and commitments 3	Family responsibilities and commitments 4	Family responsibilities and commitments 5 - Major barrier
Job commitments	Job commitments 1 - Not a barrier	Job commitments 2	Job commitments 3	Job commitments 4	Job commitments 5 - Major barrier
Timing of study (day/evening)	Timing of study (day/evening) 1 - Not a barrier	Timing of study (day/evening) 2	Timing of study (day/evening) 3	Timing of study (day/evening) 4	Timing of study (day/evening) 5 - Major barrier
Financial cost	Financial cost 1 - Not a barrier	Financial cost 2	Financial cost 3	Financial cost 4	Financial cost 5 - Major barrier
Distance to travel to study	Distance to travel to study 1 - Not a barrier	Distance to travel to study 2	Distance to travel to study 3	Distance to travel to study 4	Distance to travel to study 5 - Major barrier
Insufficient information on availability of courses	Insufficient information on availability of courses 1 - Not a barrier	Insufficient information on availability of courses 2	Insufficient information on availability of courses 3	Insufficient information on availability of courses 4	Insufficient information on availability of courses 5 - Major barrier
Insufficient support and advice	Insufficient support and advice 1 - Not a barrier	Insufficient support and advice 2	Insufficient support and advice 3	Insufficient support and advice 4	Insufficient support and advice 5 - Major barrier
Difficulties adapting to college life	Difficulties adapting to college life 1 - Not a barrier	Difficulties adapting to college life 2	Difficulties adapting to college life 3	Difficulties adapting to college life 4	Difficulties adapting to college life 5 - Major barrier
Not engaging socially with traditional entrants	Not engaging socially with traditional entrants 1 - Not a barrier	Not engaging socially with traditional entrants 2	Not engaging socially with traditional entrants 3	Not engaging socially with traditional entrants 4	Not engaging socially with traditional entrants 5 - Major barrier
Lack of flexible study options e.g. part-time	Lack of flexible study options e.g. part-time 1 - Not a barrier	Lack of flexible study options e.g. part-time 2	Lack of flexible study options e.g. part-time 3	Lack of flexible study options e.g. part-time 4	Lack of flexible study options e.g. part-time 5 - Major barrier
Disability or health issues	Disability or health issues 1 - Not a barrier	Disability or health issues 2	Disability or health issues 3	Disability or health issues 4	Disability or health issues 5 - Major barrier
Unsure about whether higher education was right for me	Unsure about whether higher education was right for me 1 - Not a barrier	Unsure about whether higher education was right for me 2	Unsure about whether higher education was right for me 3	Unsure about whether higher education was right for me 4	Unsure about whether higher education was right for me 5 - Major barrier

Other barrier (please specify)

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* 7. Would you consider yourself as any of the following?

	Yes	No
Member of the Traveller community	Member of the Traveller community Yes	Member of the Traveller community No
Having a disability	Having a disability Yes	Having a disability No
Lone parent in receipt of a means-tested social welfare payment	Lone parent in receipt of a means-tested social welfare payment Yes	Lone parent in receipt of a means-tested social welfare payment No
Come from an area of economic and social disadvantage	Come from an area of economic and social disadvantage Yes	Come from an area of economic and social disadvantage No

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* 8. Based on your experience, please outline your views on any specific issues faced by the following categories of mature students which might hinder their participation in higher education:

Travellers:

Students with a disability:

Lone parents:

Students with socio-economic disadvantage:

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* 9. How have the restrictions put in place because of the COVID-19 crisis impacted on your ability to participate in higher education?

1 - No impact

5 - Major impact

1 - No impact

5 - Major impact

Please specify:

Supporting structures, guidance systems and community structures

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* 10. How would you rate the supports provided to mature students, whether you have ever been a mature student yourself or not?

	1 - Working very well	2	3	4	5 - Working very poorly
Financial supports	Financial supports 1 - Working very well	Financial supports 2	Financial supports 3	Financial supports 4	Financial supports 5 - Working very poorly
Guidance and support to complete my course	Guidance and support to complete my course 1 - Working very well	Guidance and support to complete my course 2	Guidance and support to complete my course 3	Guidance and support to complete my course 4	Guidance and support to complete my course 5 - Working very poorly
Mental health and other supports	Mental health and other supports 1 - Working very well	Mental health and other supports 2	Mental health and other supports 3	Mental health and other supports 4	Mental health and other supports 5 - Working very poorly
Help with digital/ICT skills	Help with digital/ICT skills 1 - Working very well	Help with digital/ICT skills 2	Help with digital/ICT skills 3	Help with digital/ICT skills 4	Help with digital/ICT skills 5 - Working very poorly
Help with mathematics	Help with mathematics 1 - Working very well	Help with mathematics 2	Help with mathematics 3	Help with mathematics 4	Help with mathematics 5 - Working very poorly
Peer supports	Peer supports 1 - Working very well	Peer supports 2	Peer supports 3	Peer supports 4	Peer supports 5 - Working very poorly
Community supports	Community supports 1 - Working very well	Community supports 2	Community supports 3	Community supports 4	Community supports 5 - Working very poorly

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* 11. Please outline your views on how satisfied or not you are with the quality of careers information available to you:

	Very Satisfied	Satisfied	Neither Satisfied or Unsatisfied	Unsatisfied	Very Unsatisfied
Information on likely job opportunities	Information on likely job opportunities Very Satisfied	Information on likely job opportunities Satisfied	Information on likely job opportunities Neither Satisfied or Unsatisfied	Information on likely job opportunities Unsatisfied	Information on likely job opportunities Very Unsatisfied
Information on requirements for success in different careers	Information on requirements for success in different careers Very Satisfied	Information on requirements for success in different careers Satisfied	Information on requirements for success in different careers Neither Satisfied or Unsatisfied	Information on requirements for success in different careers Unsatisfied	Information on requirements for success in different careers Very Unsatisfied
Information on how to apply for jobs	Information on how to apply for jobs Very Satisfied	Information on how to apply for jobs Satisfied	Information on how to apply for jobs Neither Satisfied or Unsatisfied	Information on how to apply for jobs Unsatisfied	Information on how to apply for jobs Very Unsatisfied
Information on higher education options	Information on higher education options Very Satisfied	Information on higher education options Satisfied	Information on higher education options Neither Satisfied or Unsatisfied	Information on higher education options Unsatisfied	Information on higher education options Very Unsatisfied
Information on the full range of higher education courses	Information on the full range of higher education courses Very Satisfied	Information on the full range of higher education courses Satisfied	Information on the full range of higher education courses Neither Satisfied or Unsatisfied	Information on the full range of higher education courses Unsatisfied	Information on the full range of higher education courses Very Unsatisfied
Information on vocational training and apprenticeships	Information on vocational training and apprenticeships Very Satisfied	Information on vocational training and apprenticeships Satisfied	Information on vocational training and apprenticeships Neither Satisfied or Unsatisfied	Information on vocational training and apprenticeships Unsatisfied	Information on vocational training and apprenticeships Very Unsatisfied
Information on further education options	Information on further education options Very Satisfied	Information on further education options Satisfied	Information on further education options Neither Satisfied or Unsatisfied	Information on further education options Unsatisfied	Information on further education options Very Unsatisfied

Course Delivery

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* 12. Would you say the following aspects of how Higher Education is delivered is suitable to Mature Students?

	Very Suitable	Suitable	Neither Suitable or Unsuitable	Unsuitable	Very Unsuitable
Performance assessment (exams, presentations etc)	Performance assessment (exams, presentations etc) Very Suitable	Performance assessment (exams, presentations etc) Suitable	Performance assessment (exams, presentations etc) Neither Suitable or Unsuitable	Performance assessment (exams, presentations etc) Unsuitable	Performance assessment (exams, presentations etc) Very Unsuitable
Extent of IT usage	Extent of IT usage Very Suitable	Extent of IT usage Suitable	Extent of IT usage Neither Suitable or Unsuitable	Extent of IT usage Unsuitable	Extent of IT usage Very Unsuitable
Project based assessments	Project based assessments Very Suitable	Project based assessments Suitable	Project based assessments Neither Suitable or Unsuitable	Project based assessments Unsuitable	Project based assessments Very Unsuitable
Options for online or distance learning	Options for online or distance learning Very Suitable	Options for online or distance learning Suitable	Options for online or distance learning Neither Suitable or Unsuitable	Options for online or distance learning Unsuitable	Options for online or distance learning Very Unsuitable
Flexibility in time to complete modules	Flexibility in time to complete modules Very Suitable	Flexibility in time to complete modules Suitable	Flexibility in time to complete modules Neither Suitable or Unsuitable	Flexibility in time to complete modules Unsuitable	Flexibility in time to complete modules Very Unsuitable
Availability of part-time courses	Availability of part-time courses Very Suitable	Availability of part-time courses Suitable	Availability of part-time courses Neither Suitable or Unsuitable	Availability of part-time courses Unsuitable	Availability of part-time courses Very Unsuitable

Other Education Providers

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* 13. Prior to considering applying to higher education, did you:

	Yes	No
Participate in a course(s) provided by an ETB or further education and training	Participate in a course(s) provided by an ETB or further education and training Yes	Participate in a course(s) provided by an ETB or further education and training No
Participate in a course(s) provided by a Community Education Provider	Participate in a course(s) provided by a Community Education Provider Yes	Participate in a course(s) provided by a Community Education Provider No
Participate in a course(s) abroad	Participate in a course(s) abroad Yes	Participate in a course(s) abroad No
Participate in a course(s), though I am unsure of who provided it	Participate in a course(s), though I am unsure of who provided it Yes	Participate in a course(s), though I am unsure of who provided it No

Other (please specify)

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* 14. If you hadn’t done that course(s), how likely would it have been that you would have gone on to Higher Education?

Very Likely

Likely

Unlikely

Very Unlikely

I haven't yet gone on to Higher Education

Very Likely

Likely

Unlikely

Very Unlikely

I haven't yet gone on to Higher Education

Financial Supports

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* 15. How would you rate the following financial supports for mature students?

	Very Good	Good	Neither Good nor Poor	Poor	Very Poor
Financial supports for persons with disabilities	Financial supports for persons with disabilities Very Good	Financial supports for persons with disabilities Good	Financial supports for persons with disabilities Neither Good nor Poor	Financial supports for persons with disabilities Poor	Financial supports for persons with disabilities Very Poor
Support for studying abroad	Support for studying abroad Very Good	Support for studying abroad Good	Support for studying abroad Neither Good nor Poor	Support for studying abroad Poor	Support for studying abroad Very Poor
Student grants (SUSI)	Student grants (SUSI) Very Good	Student grants (SUSI) Good	Student grants (SUSI) Neither Good nor Poor	Student grants (SUSI) Poor	Student grants (SUSI) Very Poor
Back to Education Allowance (BTEA)	Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) Very Good	Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) Good	Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) Neither Good nor Poor	Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) Poor	Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) Very Poor

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* 16. Are there any structures, supports, learning or teaching approaches that would best suit mature students in general, or specific groups such as Travellers, learners with disabilities, lone parents or learners with a socio-economic disadvantage in particular?

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* 17. Are there any aspects of Government support for education, employment and social protection that could be better aligned to encourage mature students to participate in Higher Education?

Background Details for Statistical Analysis Use Only

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* 18. What age are you?

23-29

30-39

40-49

50-59

60+

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* 19. Gender:

Male

Female

Prefer not to say

Prefer to self-describe:

Thank you very much for taking the time to complete this questionnaire. If you have any queries re this, please contact Natasha Browne at Indecon – E-mail: nbrowne@indecon.ie.